Of all the lazy insults to throw at Hereford, the most boring of them all is that "there is nothing to do".

While the claim might be the case for certain provincial places, the same could not be said during the time Lee Symonds and Anthony Murphy have run nightclubs in the city.

The pair, who today announced their time at the Jailhouse would end on New Year's Eve, have over the past 16 years brought the likes of The Freestylers, Miss Dynamite, The Wombats and Pendulum to the Crystal Rooms, the Lock Up and the Jailhouse.

For those who like their music to be original and innovative - as opposed to the X Factor sheep - the Jailhouse in particular has provided a place for fans and artists to express themselves.

From providing a place for young bands to start out and bringing DJs - and comedians - from their bedrooms to a live audience, the Gaol Street venue has been more than just a club.

Punters have been able to form a scene there that is far stronger than those found in the neighbouring cities of Worcester and Gloucester, and anything over the border in mid-Wales.

The relative success of the Jailhouse came despite a number of obstacles. Just over two years ago, the club nearly lost its licence when officials imposed over zealous new security measures that made those found in airports look amateurish.

The licence review came despite the club having a much lower number of incidents than that of other bars and pubs open during the early hours.

A decision to prevent the club from allowing under 18s to enter and watch live bands also stopped the Jailhouse from attracting more groups like The Wombats to the city.

But despite these difficulties, both Lee and Murf continued to ensure the youth of Hereford were entertained with up and coming artists like Jess Glynne and more established ones like GZA from Wu Tang Clan in addition to providing young musicians with a stage.

Certain elements of society love to paint the country's youth as little more than binge drinkers and drug takers who do little more than loiter in parks before partaking in vandalism and other anti-social behaviour.

The Jailhouse was a place that not only took youngsters away from the streets but gave them a reason to pursue a musical hobby and develop an artistic skill. It kept young people in the city and brought with it a distinct culture that will be hard to keep come January 1, 2015.

Young - and not so young - will remember the venue in the same way that a previous generation will associate a large part of their earlier days with Fridays at the Crystal Rooms. It won't be forgotten but will be sadly missed.